Vestibule-car



2 Sheets Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

H. TANNER. VBSTIBULB GAR.

Patented Apr. 14,1891.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. H. TANNER. VESTIBULE GAR (No Model.)

No. 450,343".y Patented Apr. 14,1891.

@f2/af@ o., mom-mno., msumnron o c UNrTED STATES PATENrOFFnn.

HENRY TANNER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

VESTIBULE-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,343, dated April14, 1891.

Application filed December 26, 1890. Serial No. 375,786. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY TANNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Railway-Cars, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of railway-cars which are providedwith end vestibules forming a continuous closed passage between toadjoining cars.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensiveconstruction for closing the adjoining ends of two cars and forming aclosed space or passage between the adjoining` ends of the cars of thefull width of the cars.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure l is aside elevation of the end portions of two adjoining railwaycars providedwith my improvement, and showing one of the cars partly in section. Fig.2 is a horizontal section thereof. Fig. 3 is an end elevation thereof,partly in section. Fig. 4: is a fragmentary sectional elevation showingthe manner of attaching the hood for connecting the roofs of twoadjoining railway-oars.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

Arepresents the side Walls of two adjoining railway-cars, and B the endwalls thereof.

C represents the platforms, which are provided on opposite sides withthe usual steps D.

E represents the transverse buffer beams secured to the front ends ofthe platforms, and F are the roofs which project over the platforms.'The platform-roofs are provided on each side with a vertical side pieceportion f, forming extensions of the side walls. These side pieces ofthe platform-roofs are supported by vertical posts g, secured with theirlower ends to the outer ends ends of the bilder-beams and supporting theside pieces of the platform-roof at their upper ends.

H represents sliding doors, whereby the spaces between the platform-roofposts and the end walls of the car are closed, and which formpractically extensions or continuations of the side walls of the oar.Each of these doors is arranged to slide longitudinally into arecess h,formed in the end portion of the side wall, so as to leave anunobstructed passage over the steps. Each of the sliding doors issupported at its upper end by means of roller-hangers I, which latterare guided upon a supporting track or rail c'. These rails are arrangedin the upperportion of the recesses in the side Walls and extendoutwardly into recesses j, formed in the vertical side walls of theplatform-roofs. In this manner the supporting devices for the slidingdoors are concealed from view and protected from the weather.

L L represent hinged ortrap doors, whereby the spaces over theplatform-steps are closed. These trap-doors are equal in width to thespaces between the buffer-beam and the end wallof the car, and extendlengthwise from the side of the platform to the sliding door. Thesetrap-doors are preferably hinged to the buffer-beams, so that whenraised into an open or vertical position they rest against theplatform-rail Z, while when lowered into a horizontal position to coverthe steps they are flush with the upper side of the platform.

M represents a cord or chain connecting the trap-door with the slidingdoor, whereby the movement of the latter causes the trapdoor to beraised or lowered. This cord is attached at one end to the upperouterside of the sliding door and secured with its opposite end to thecentral portion of the trapdoor. The connecting-cord passes aroundapulley m, secured to the under side of the vertical side piece of theplatform-roof near the upper outer corner of the side opening, therebypreventing the cord from obstructing the passage. Upon drawing thesliding door outwardly over the platform the trap-door is automaticallylowered, so as to cover the steps of the platform, and upon opening thesliding door the trap-door is simultaneously raised through the mediumof the connectingcord.

As represented in the drawings, the recess which receives the slidingdoor is formed in the side wall of the car. f

In applying the sliding door to cars already in use the recess forreceiving the sliding door can be formed by securing a separate housingto the side of the car.

N represents upright curtains, which eX- IOO tend across the spacesbetween the platform roof-posts and form the vertical sides of theflexible connecting-hood. These curtains are providedon their verticaledges with eyes n, which engage with hooks o, secured to the outer sidesof the platform-roof posts. l

l? represents a top flap or curtain, which extends across the open spacebetween the roofs of two adjoining cars. This top curtain is provided onits transverse edges with eyes p, which engage with the hooks q securedto the front side of the platform roof.

R represents curved shields secured to the front of each platform-roof,and which over-A hang the transverse edges of the top curtain, therebypreventing rain from entering th entrance ofthe vestibule.

S represents a metallic iioorplate vextending across the central portionof the open space between the buffer-beams of two ad-1 joining cars, andresting loosely with its ends on the platforms, thereby forming ayielding floor connection between the cars.

T represents plates arranged across the open space between thebuffer-beams on opposite sides of the central floor-plate S. Theseplates are preferably hinged transversely to one side of one of thebuerf` beams and overlap the buer-beam of the opposite car, asrepresented in Fig. 2, thereby preventing 'any draft or dust fromentering the vestibule from below the platform.

.By arranging the sliding doors and the side curtains in line with theside Wallsof the car a practically unbroken surface is formedl on thesides the entire length of the train, thereby oering less resistance tothe Wind; when moving and enabling the train to bei propelled with lesspower and elfectinga pro-l portionate saving in the cost of running theitrains.

My improved vestibule is very simple andi effective and can be placed onrailway-cars at comparatively small expense, as the plat-i formconstruction is not different from that employed on ordinary cars. Thispermits the i attachment of the vestibule construction t0- ordinary carsalready in existence.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination, with the car-body having theusual fixed end wall, platform, and roof, of a vestibule having fixedside walls projecting over the platform and provided l with sideopenings over the steps, recesses or pockets r`formed in the sides ofthe car, sliding doors arranged in said pockets and adapted to close theopenin gs in the vestibule side walls, and a flexible hood attached tothe end of the vestibule and adapted to be atl tached tothe vestibule ofan adjoining car,

substantially as set forth.

2. The combinatioinwith the car-bodyhaving the usual lixed end Wall,platform, and roof, of a vestibule having fixed side Walls projectingover the platform and provided Withside openings over the steps, slidingdoors 'adapted to close these side openings, a vplate hinged to `the endof the platform on one side of the central passage and adapted to restupon the platform of the adjoining j car, and a flexible hood attachedto the end of the vestibule and adapted to be attached t'o the vestibuleof the adjoining car, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the car-body, its platform, androof, ofvestibule side walls extending from the side Walls of the car-body t-othe corners of the platform and having side openings, overhead trackssecured to the 1 car-body and vestibule side walls, sliding `doorssupported on said tracks and adapted to close the side openings,trap-doors adapted to `cover the steps and hinged to the outer sides ofthe platform, guide-pulleys arranged at or near the outer and uppercorner of each side opening, and cords running over said vpulleys andconnecting the trap-doors with the sliding doors, substantially as setforth. Vitn'ess my hand this 23d day of December, 1890.

HENRY TANNER.

`Witnessesz THEO. L. PoPP, `CARL F. GEYER.

